Blow to organic salmon farmer’s plans.
Highland councilors have rejected a proposal for a salmon farm off the north coast of Skye, Scotland.
Organic Sea Harvest (OSH) was looking to launch 12 cages into the sea at Balmaqueen, it wrote in a press release. The company, the UK’s first independent salmon farming start-up in 30 years, was not been given permission for a third fish-farm site. It already operates two sites in Cùl nan Cnoc & Inbhir Tobhta.
The site would have released investments at GBP 4 million, earmarked for salaries, equipment and stock.
Council officials at a North Planning Application Committee (NPAC) intended to propose to approve, but eight members voted against the application with the support of six.
OSH spokesperson and founding director Alex MacInnes said he was disappointed with the decision.
“We are very much looking forward to bringing Scottish organic salmon from Skye to the market in the very near future. We appreciate the trust the local community have given us for our two existing sites and we will continue to work hard to show them that was the right decision. Although we are disappointed our Balmaqueen plans were refused, we will now consider closely whether we want to seek a review of the decision though the Local Review Body or appeal to the Scottish Ministers, said MacInnes.
Last year, Highland Council rejected a OSH proposal for a 12 x 400ft cage site in Flodigarry, reported Press and Journal.
